Device for storing and dispensing in single units objects in the form of sheets or thin strips

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a device, such as a box, for storing and dispensing in single-units objects in the form of sheets, wafers, thin strips or platelets, with planar geometry in particular square, rectangular, polygonal, circular, elliptical, enabling said objects to be dispensed individually in single units, comprising: a) storage means such as a container with a lid, containing the objects to be dispensed, stored stacked on one another on a storage surface, said storage means including a surface for guiding the objects to be dispensed and a dispensing opening enabling the objects to be dispensed individually in single units; b) dispensing means bade of a flexible, deformable, mobile driving element, having one of its ends in contact with the object to be driven, along at least one transverse tangential contact line, and whereof the longitudinal cross-section is S- or nearly U-shaped.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for storing and dispensing in singleunits singularized objects ranging from rigid to flexible, objects inthe form of sheets, small plates, thin strips or bands, and thecontainer for singularized objects equipped with such a dispensingdevice.

Numerous objects in the form of sheets, small plates, thin strips orbands are used as consumables. In particular, such objects are test“strips” in the form of rigid strips or bands used, for example, in themedical field for diagnostic or monitoring purposes. Other relativelyflexible objects to be dispensed, having a square or rectangular shape,can also be in the form of a thin sheet, either alone or along withtheir protective packaging, e.g., bandages, transdermal patches or foodproducts such as chewing gum or the like.

For obvious reasons, hygiene in particular, but also to prevent anydegradation and to thus improve the shelf life of the objects, thelatter are placed away from outside pollution and/or physicochemicalattacks resulting from the level of relative humidity, from light, inparticular from UV rays, and other chemical substances, or elsedegradation due to a mechanical effect.

Likewise for reasons of hygiene, preservation and protection, numerousstorage and dispensing devices have been devised in order to enableone-by-one dispensing of objects in the form of sheets, small plates,thin strips or bands, so as to dispense the exact number of objectsrequired and to thereby prevent any contamination due to an involuntarydischarge of objects.

When these objects are already prepackaged, the only function to befulfilled by these storage and dispensing devices is that of containinga specific number of objects and of being capable of dispensing them oneat a time without having to open a box constituting the mostconventional form of packaging.

Such object-dispensing devices must be simple, inexpensive to produceand easy to use.

PRIOR ART

Numerous devices for storing and dispensing objects having asubstantially flat shape are described in technical literature, inparticular in that consisting of published patent applications and/orpatents.

The simplest of systems for storing and dispensing, which arespecifically adapted to sheets or thin bands, operates by combiningpressure exerted on the stock of stacked sheets, from the bottom to thetop, and by partial opening of a lid, releasing a portion of the sheetsto be extracted, extraction of the sheets, one-by-one, being performedmanually by one of the user's fingers, which causes the top sheet toslide onto the pack of sheets located in the dispensing device.

Such a device increases the risk of contamination. When grasping on to asheet or, for example, a test strip, the user's fingers come intocontact with this strip or with the immediately adjacent strip, at therisk of degrading or contaminating the active surfaces of these sheetsor strips by external pollution.

According to a first document of the prior art (U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,564)a device is described for storing and dispensing leaves of soap insingle units.

The storage and dispensing device appears to be composed of a container,a lid with a dispensing slot, a spring device, making it possible tohold the leaves stacked one on top of the other in a position bearingagainst the lower face of the lid, an ejection system coming to bearagainst the leaf of soap to be dispensed and actuated by a pushbuttonlocated on the upper face of the lid.

Each leaf is partially translated towards the exterior of the containerby means of the ejection system, so as to enable it to be grasped by theuser.

This dispensing device has numerous technical drawbacks, one of which,for example, is the fact that it seems incapable of dispensing objectsin the form of very thin and/or flexible sheets; because, in this case,several sheets can be pushed out of the container simultaneously.

Furthermore, this device is also complex and relatively costly toproduce because it requires the use of a device for extracting theleaves by means of a sliding system, which is equipped with a slidingblade of small thickness, pressing on the leaf to be dispensed, with aspring system for holding the leaves in a position bearing against oneanother, and with a lid having complex kinematics.

Finally, if several leaves are extracted simultaneously, without beingable to control the number thereof, there is some risk of damaging themwhen they are reintegrated into the container, making the dispensingsystem even more random.

None of the devices derived from or similar to those of the prior artprovide satisfactory results, because these devices do not make itpossible to control the number of sheet objects extracted from thecontainer when they are of a very fine thickness. Furthermore, suchdevices do not make it possible to guarantee the absence of pollution orsoiling of sheets extracted unexpectedly and then reintroduced into thecontainer, because, due to their excess number they are unused, therebydeteriorating the quality of the stored sheets.

Another document (FR 2 709 475) describes a card dispenser the carddischarge of which is carried out by means of a push-type pin, slidinginto a longitudinal opening of the dispenser lid. Said push-type pin isintegral with a blade having an elastic memory effect, which is in anear linear position, with an almost infinite radius of curvature whenthe stack of cards is at its maximum, and which takes the shape of anarc of circle with an increasingly shorter radius of curvature andoriented towards the bottom of the receptacle, when the stack of cardsdisappears. The end of this blade is provided with an end-piece having ahigh friction coefficient, and being in contact with the stack of cards.

Thus, the plate equipped with an end-piece having a high coefficient offriction is composed of two materials, and has a relatively pronouncedarc of circle shape depending on the thickness of the stack of cards.

Another document (GB 2 210 603) describes a card dispenser, thedischarging of which is carried out by means of a flexible movable driveelement, which is composed of a spring-blade and a rubber end-piece,integral with said blade. This flexible movable drive element isactuated by a movable pin sliding in a guide opening of the lid, in ahorizontal longitudinal motion. Said spring-blade and the rubberend-piece to which it is joined both bear against the stack of cards,and ensure the extraction of one card on demand.

It can be made noticed that the flexible movable drive element is madefrom two materials, one of which is rubber. The flexible movable driveelement, namely the spring-blade associated with a rubber end-piece, isin a straight position between the stack of cards and the inside face ofthe lid, the curvature of the spring-blade being pointed in thedirection opposite the discharge direction of the cards.

Another document (WO 2004/024593) describes a dispenser for thin sheets,the extraction of which, in single units, is carried out by means of anejector, formed by a longitudinally movable lid, a flexible portion inthe form of a hollow half-sphere integral with said movable lid, and anappendage inside of and integral with said hollow half-sphere. In orderto cause a sheet to be dispensed, the user acts by pressing on theejector, the hollow half-sphere of which, under action of this pressure,is crushed and pushes the appendage out vertically. The downstream endof this appendage comes into contact with the stack of sheets, isdeformed thereon, taking an “L” shape in the direction of discharge,thereby pulling along a sheet, owing to the translational movement ofthe lid, which simultaneously closes the container again.

Originally vertical, it appears that the movable drive element is not inpermanent contact with the object being pulled along, that it takes theshape of the letter “L,” as soon as it is in contact with said object,and that it requires two simultaneous movements in order to extract thesheet, one vertical and the other horizontal.

Finally, a last document (U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,855) describes a complexdispensing system implementing multiple assembled mechanical parts. Avertically downward movement of a pushbutton is transformed into ahorizontal movement, owing to a rack and pinion system. A spring enablesthe backward return of the pushbutton by exercising a spring force inthe upward vertical direction. In this document, it is a matter of acomplex mechanical system and not a deformable movable element.

Thus, the prior art reveals that the flexible movable drive element caneither be made of several types of materials, or consist of a complexmechanical system. But, these object-dispensing devices appear to becomplex in design, expensive to produce, and difficult to handle whenthe sheets being extracted are of a small thickness and flexible.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The problem is to produce a device for dispensing objects in the form ofsheets, small plates, strips or thin bands, which can be rigid as wellas semi-rigid to flexible, having a planar geometry, in particularsubstantially square, rectangular, polygonal, circular or elliptical,which makes it possible not only to dispense these objects one-by-one,but also to resolve all or some of the previously stated drawbacks.

As a matter of fact, such objects, by reason of their geometry (smallthickness) and their mechanical properties (modulus of rigidity) cannotbe dispensed by the devices described in the prior art, i.e., by devicespushing such objects via the rear section in order to ensure themovement thereof.

By small thickness, it is understood to mean objects the thickness ofwhich is less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1 mm and very preferablyless than 0.5 mm.

These objects are in the form of a stack arranged inside a storagecontainer and have the ability to slide over one another. They have astatic friction coefficient, which is constant and known and of arelatively low value, between the upper surface of one and the lowersurface of the other which is immediately adjacent to it.

By static friction coefficient it is understood to mean the forceinitially measured for horizontally moving a body of a given weight,which is coated with a particular surface, over another surface, whereasthe dynamic friction coefficient corresponds to the measurement of thissame force when the sliding movement is initiated. These coefficientsvary on the basis of the types of material and the surface states, butalso on the basis of temperatures, the time during which the twomaterials were in contact and the pressure exerted by the moving body onthe planar sliding surface. The dynamic friction coefficient isgenerally lower than the static friction coefficient.

Such a dispensing device can be designed to be able to be operated witha single hand, thereby facilitating its operation, the other hand beingfree to ensure grasping of the dispensed object. However, in the casewhere a child safety device might be present, this arrangement does notapply, because both hands are required for the operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Consequently, the invention relates to a box-type storage and dispensingdevice for objects in the form of sheets, small plates, strips or thinbands which can be rigid as well as semi-rigid to flexible, having aplanar geometry, in particular substantially square, rectangular,polygonal, circular or elliptical, making it possible to dispense saidobjects to be dispensed one-by-one, comprising:

-   -   a container-type storage means with a lid, containing the        objects to be dispensed, stored stacked on top of one another on        a storage surface, said storage means including a surface for        guiding the objects to be dispensed and a dispensing opening        enabling the objects being dispensed to pass through one-by-one,    -   and a dispensing means,        characterized in that said dispensing means consists of a        flexible, deformable and movable drive element, one of the ends        of which is in contact with the object being driven, along at        least one tangential transverse line of contact in relation to        the longitudinal axis of discharge of the object, and the        longitudinal cross section of which is “S” shaped or nearly “U”        shaped.

Another object of the invention is the use of the storage and dispensingdevice for dispensing objects in the form of sheets, small plates,strips or thin bands, such as test “strips” in the form of rigid stripsor bands used, for example, in the medical field for diagnostic ormonitoring purposes, or for square or rectangular objects to bedispensed, also possibly being in the form of a thin sheet, either aloneor along with their protective packaging, in particular bandages,transdermal patches, or food products, in particular chewing gum or thelike. Thus, this object-dispensing device is used for separating anddispensing one-by-one a stock of objects to be dispensed which arestored stacked, awaiting use and protected from the outside environment.

The container-type storage means, hereinafter designated as a container,comprises a bottom formed by the combination of two contiguous surfaces,one being the storage surface and the other being the guide surface.

The storage surface, consisting of a supporting surface on which theobjects to be dispensed are stacked, is a generally planar surface whichcan be inclined, then forming an acute angle with the plane formed bythe lid when extended in the direction of the dispensing opening orparallel to the plane of the lid; the storage surface is contiguous withthe guide surface. This storage surface is preferably inclined so as topre-orient the objects to be dispensed in relation to the guide surface.

The guide surface is preferably a developable curvilinear surface,constituting a discharge ramp ending at the dispensing opening, and ismore particularly a cylinder segment whose plane of tangency at theconnection of the guide surface with the dispensing opening forms anangle with the plane formed by the lid at the opening, of between 10°and 90° and preferably between 45° and 60°.

The guide surface can also consist of one or more planes inclined inrelation to the plane formed by the lid at the dispensing opening, so asto form a hopper making it possible to guide the object being dispensed.When the guide surface forms a single dihedral having a sharp edgeconsisting of the dispensing slot, the angle of inclination of the guidesurface in relation to the plane formed by the lid and passing throughthe dispensing slot is then generally between 20° and 60° and preferably45°.

The guide surfaces can have any other shapes enabling the function ofguiding the objects in the direction of the dispensing slot.

In order to promote the guide function, the guide surfaces arepreferably made of rigid materials which enable easy sliding of theobjects being dispensed. The guide surfaces for the objects beingdispensed can also be treated, e.g., by graining, so that thecoefficient of friction measured between the lower surface of the objectbeing dispensed and the inner face of the container also makes itpossible for the last object being dispensed to slide over the insidesurface of the container.

The container also comprises two substantially parallel vertical wallsmaking it possible to partially close the container and to position theobjects to be dispensed laterally. The container also comprises a thirdvertical wall substantially perpendicular to the two lateral walls,depending on aesthetic considerations for the container-dispenser, whichis positioned on the side opposite the dispensing opening against whichthe objects to be dispensed come to bear via their edge.

According to another embodiment, the two walls making it possible topartially close the container and to position the objects to bedispensed laterally are converging.

Furthermore, the third wall, which is perpendicular to the two lateralwalls, can either form a right angle with the plane of the lid, or forman acute or obtuse angle with the plane of the lid.

Such a container will advantageously be produced by any injection orthermoforming technique, from thermoplastic materials having a certaindegree of rigidity.

The container is closed at its upper portion by a lid:

-   -   which can be fixed and is then equipped with a slide slot so as        to enable the flexible, deformable, movable drive element of the        object to be dispensed to be moved in translation inside of this        guide opening,    -   which can be movable in rotation or in translation in relation        to the container.

In the case where the lid is movable in rotation, it can be hingedcompletely or partially along an axis positioned on the container.

-   -   When the lid is hinged completely, the axis of rotation, for        example of the integral hinge-type, can be placed at one of the        ends of the container, on the side of the dispensing opening.    -   When the lid is partially hinged, i.e., a portion of the lid is        fixed in relation to the container, and the other portion        rotates in relation to this container, the axis of rotation, for        example of the integral hinge-type, can be placed at a location        between the two ends of the lid.

In the case of a lid movable in rotation, the object to be extractedfrom the container can be extracted at one or the other of the ends ofsaid container.

A system for returning the movable part of the lid in rotation may bepresent in the form of an appropriate means such as, for example, aspring or a deformable integrated strip or others.

When the lid is movable in translation, it may possibly comprise aprotuberance on its upper end surface, enabling the user to slide thelid in relation to the container.

A system, such as for example a return spring, for returning the movablein translation lid to its initial position, may possibly be presentbetween the lid and the container.

The lid, whether it be fixed or movable, may possibly comprise a rib onits inside face, so as to hold the flexible, deformable, movable driveelement in contact with the upper face of the object to be dispensed.The flexible, deformable, movable drive element may also be permanentlyheld in contact with the upper face of the object to be dispensed owingto its own weight, in particular in the absence of a rib.

In the case of a fixed lid, the lid may be assembled onto the containerby any fast assembly technique, such as by snapping on or by any otherassembly means, e.g., a weld seam. In the case of a movable lid, thefast assembly means, such as snapping on or the like, is associated witha system for guiding in relation to the container.

A system for snapping on and sliding along tracks with a stop limitdevice makes it possible to firmly fasten the lid and the containertogether without thereby restricting the ability of the lid to translateon the container.

The lid is preferably made of an injection-molded or thermoformed rigidpolymer material.

Desirable polymer materials for producing the container and the lid aregenerally and not exclusively selected from the group of materialsconsisting of thermoplastic polymers, including, in particular,polyolefins such as polyethylenes, polypropylenes, ethylene/propylenecopolymers and their mixtures, polyamides (PA), polystyrenes (PS),acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymers, styrene-acrylonitrile(SAN) copolymers, polymethyl methacrylates (PMMA), polyethyleneterephthalates (PET), polybutylene terephthalates (PBT), polyacetals(POM), polyvinyl chlorides (PVC), polycarbonates (PC).

The container and the lid may also accommodate, between said containerand said lid, an indicator of the container having been opened prior tothe first opening. This tamperproof means or else tamperproof seal,consists, for example, of micro-ties joining all or a portion of thelower peripheral surface of the lid to all or a portion of the upperperipheral surface of, for example, a ring or collar or any anchoringsystem fastening the lid onto the container. These micro-ties aremicro-points of connection, separate from one another, but which form aperiphery or a single toothed connecting area between the movable lidand the ring or collar or system fastening the lid to the container orbetween the flexible movable drive element and the container or theintegral lid.

These micro-points are broken during the first opening via applicationof a tearing force exerted in the horizontal direction on the lid or onthe flexible, deformable, movable drive element.

The flexible, deformable, movable drive element is made of at least oneflexible material and is capable of bending without permanentdeformation. It may have an “S” or near “U” shape when viewed as alongitudinal cross section. It may have various shapes such as, forexample:

-   -   that of a finger having a circular, elliptical or polygonal        cross section, the downstream end of which being provided with a        transverse bar perpendicular to its longitudinal axis,    -   or that of a thin blade.        The length of said transverse bar or the width of said thin        blade can be at most equal to that of the container.

When the flexible, deformable, movable drive element is a thin blade,the width of the thin blade can be constant over the entire length ofthe flexible element or else have an even or uneven narrowing.

The shapes of the flexible element are preferably rectangular,triangular, or “T” shaped.

-   -   When the flexible element is a rectangle, its width providing        the transverse tangential contact is at most equal to a value        very slightly lower than the width L of the container,    -   When the flexible element is a triangle, the large base of the        triangle at least forms the transverse tangential line of        contact with the object to be extracted,    -   When the flexible element has the shape of the letter “T,” the        transverse bar of the “T” at least forms the transverse        tangential line of contact with the object to be dispensed, and        this bar has a length at most equal to a value very slightly        lower than the width L of the container.

This flexible, deformable, movable drive element has the characteristicof being in permanent contact with the object to be driven, during themovement along at least one transverse tangential line of contact inrelation to the longitudinal axis of discharge of said object, and ofthereby having the ability to translate the object to be dispensed,while continuing to bear against its surface.

According to the invention, the transverse tangential contact inrelation to the longitudinal axis of discharge of the object may beextended to a contact surface with the object to be dispensed, accordingto the “surface-to-surface” mode.

Thus, the transverse tangential line of contact or the“surface-to-surface” type transverse tangential contact surface with theobject to be dispensed, in relation to the longitudinal axis ofdischarge of the object, have a length of between 0.25 times the lengthL of the container and a length very slightly less than the width L ofthe container. Said length is preferably between 0.6 L and 1 L.

The surface of the flexible, deformable, movable drive element also hasthe characteristic of having a static friction coefficient, whendetermined with respect to the upper face of the object to be driven,which is greater than the static friction coefficient existing betweenthe two opposing surfaces of the two contiguous objects (n) and (n−1) tobe dispensed. It may or may not be integral with the lid, depending onwhether the latter is movable or not, i.e., the flexible, deformable,movable drive element is integral with the lid when said lid is movableand is independent from the lid when said lid is fixed.

In the case of a lid movable in rotation in relation to the container,the flexible, deformable, movable drive element is integral with themovable portion of the lid.

In the case of a lid movable in translation in relation to thecontainer, the flexible, deformable, movable drive element is integralwith the movable lid.

When the flexible, deformable, movable drive element is independent fromthe lid, it is then equipped with a shoe sliding inside the opening ofthe fixed lid, the shoe being moved manually via a back-and-forthmovement of the user's finger.

The flexible, deformable, movable drive element may be made from atleast one material coming from the group of materials havingcharacteristics peculiar to elastomeric compositions, i.e., having amodulus of rigidity close to those of elastomers, an ability to recoverits initial shape without hysteresis, a coefficient of friction greaterthan that generally obtained on rigid thermoplastics, and a “Shore”hardness also less than those considered for rigid thermoplastics.

The flexible, deformable, movable drive element may be a mono-material,i.e., formed from a single formulated elastomeric thermoplasticmaterial, in the form of a suitable composition, in terms of mechanicalproperties and coefficient of friction properties, using at least onethermoplastic elastomer and another rigid thermoplastic compound,preferably of the olefinic type or may be multi-material, i.e.,including a core made of one type of material and a skin made of anothertype of elastomeric-type material, so as to separate the mechanicalproperties from the surface properties, and thus be capable of possiblybeing obtained via other techniques such as coating. The areas made ofelastic materials may then be formed from at least one thermoplasticelastomer of natural or synthetic origin. The elastomer or elastomersused may be selected preferably from the group consisting of elastomersof the natural rubber type, synthetic rubber, in particular mono-olefinrubbers, e.g., such as isobutylene/isoprene polymers, ethylene-vinylacetate (EVA), ethylene propylene (EPR), ethylene-propylene-diene(EPDM), ethylene-acrylic esters (EMA-EEA), fluoro-polymers, dienerubbers, e.g., such as polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene rubbercopolymers (SBR), condensation product-based rubbers, e.g., such aspolyester and polyurethane thermoplastic rubbers, silicones, styrenicrubbers, such as styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS),styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene(SEBS) and other block copolymers, used alone or in a mixture,formulated or not.

The mode of production may also be that of the injection molding ofthermoplastics or the extrusion and cutting out of a sheet via anyextrusion or calendaring technique.

However, and in one preferred embodiment, when the flexible, deformable,movable drive element is integral with the movable lid, it is thenpreferable to consider the bi-material injection molding techniques forproducing, in a single operation, the assembly consisting of theflexible, deformable, movable drive element and the lid. The lid is thenmade of a rigid thermoplastic material, and the flexible movable driveelement of a composition formulated from thermoplastic elastomerscombined with polyolefins, for example.

When the flexible, deformable, movable drive element is independent fromthe fixed lid and has a guide shoe, then the shoe is made of a rigidmaterial and a part such as this is obtained via bi-material injectionmolding; it may also be made of a mono-material formulated so as toobtain a compromise between the need to slide the shoe inside its grooveand the need for a suitable coefficient of friction with respect to theobject to be dispensed, which it must drive along.

The dispensing opening enabling the objects to be dispensed to passthrough one-by-one is preferably a slot-type opening the edges of whichform open lips, possibly having the ability of being concealed by aflexible flap, for the purpose of making the entire device reasonablytight, without requiring a high pressing force in order to open it.

The geometry of the lips of the dispensing opening may be such that itpromotes the discharge of the object to be dispensed, i.e., that it isin the form of a chamfer, a bevel or an offset of one of the lips inrelation to the other.

The dispensing opening preferably has a slot shape, with dimensions thatenable the passage of a single object at a time. However, when the lidis pulled back in order to then be closed again, the dispensing openingmay be formed by this gap between the container and lid in the processof being closed. When the dispensing opening is of the slot type, itswidth and its thickness are generally slightly greater than the widthand the thickness of the object to be dispensed.

The slot-shaped opening can be an integral part of the container, anintegral part of the lid or be formed at the intersection of the twoportions of the container-dispenser, container and lid, during theassembly thereof.

When a flexible flap of small thickness conceals the dispensing slot,the flexible flap will advantageously be formed from molded elastomericmaterials, via bi-material injection molding techniques, at the sametime as may be the flexible, deformable, movable drive element.

A child safety opening system may possibly be associated with the devicefor storing and dispensing objects in single units.

Said child safety opening for making the lid closure difficult or evenimpossible for children to open, may be installed plumb over the lid.This device may be a pushbutton forming an integral part of the lid andmaking it possible, by combining a sustained vertical pressure and asimultaneous translational movement, to unlock the safety system and toensure operation of the dispenser. The pushbutton is in perfectalignment with the lid when said button is in locked position, and isslightly protruding in relation to the upper end surface of the lid whenit is in unlocked position.

In the case where a child safety opening system is present, the userunlocks it by exerting vertical pressure on the pushbutton. The systemcan also comprise separable micro-points indicating a first opening,which are positioned between the pushbutton and its housing.

Products particularly sensitive to ambient moisture are numerous and maymore precisely be for example, medicated materials which may also be inthe form of test strips or the like.

The device may then comprise a desiccant container and/or a desiccantlid and/or a desiccant flexible, deformable, movable drive element tothe extent that a certain degree of leak-tightness for storing productssensitive to ambient moisture is possible when the dispensing openinghas the capability of being re-closed either by means of a flap or whenclosed by a closure made integral or not with the device.

These containers are made desiccant by at least one of the meansconsisting of an internal coating of the bottom of the container and/orof the internal surface of the wall of the container and/or of the lidby means of a desiccant thermoplastic polymer composition, theintroduction of an insert into said container-dispenser, the coating ofthe flexible, deformable, movable drive element with a desiccantelastomeric composition, and/or the introduction of a desiccant materialplaced inside a special housing on the inside surface of the containerand/or the lid.

All of these desiccant means are installed separately or simultaneously,in order to increase the effectiveness of their dehydrating action bymass effect.

During the dispensing operation, by exerting a translational movement onthe flexible, movable drive element, in relation to the container,either directly, if the lid is fixed, or by means of the movable lid,when said flexible means is integral with the lid, the object n which issituated at the top of the stack will be enabled to slide over theobject positioned immediately underneath n−1, the object n thus selectedbeing guided to the discharge slot, owing to the guide surface formed bythe curvilinear bottom of the container. The selected object n thusguided is pushed partially outward from the slot in order to enable theuser to grasp on to it.

By reversing the direction of translation of the flexible, deformable,movable drive element, the drive element resumes its initial position,but cannot move the object n−1 because the object n−1 abuts against thewall of the container opposite the side on which the dispensing slot issituated. The dynamic friction coefficient between the flexible movabledrive element and the upper face of the object n−1 is sufficiently lowso as to not cause a risk of deforming the object n−1, when the latterabuts against the wall of the container.

Other advantages of the dispenser for objects in the form of very thin,rigid, semi-rigid or flexible sheets, small plates, strips or smallstrips or bands according to the invention, will become apparent uponreading the detailed exemplary embodiment of the invention, whilereferring to the drawings given for illustrative purposes, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a storage and dispensing deviceequipped with its dispensing device;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a storage and dispensing device in itsneutral position;

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a storage and dispensing device in itsopen position;

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a storage and dispensing device in itsonce again closed position, after translation of the object beingdispensed.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a storage and dispensing deviceaccording to another embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a storage and dispensing deviceaccording to another embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of a storage and dispensing deviceaccording to the embodiment of FIG. 6, in its neutral position.

FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of a storage and dispensing deviceaccording to the embodiment of FIG. 6, in its actuated position.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the storage and dispensing deviceaccording to another embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view of the storage and dispensing device ofFIG. 9, in its actuated position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the storage and dispensing device 1including a container 2, a lid 3 equipped on its upper end surface witha protuberance 4 enabling the user to slide the lid, and with a childsafety opening system 5.

This storage and dispensing device 1 consists of a open container-typestorage means 2 including a bottom 6 formed by a inclined planar storagesurface 7 inside the container, on which the objects to be dispensed 8are stacked, and by a so-called guide surface 10 still inside thecontainer and contiguous with the storage surface 7. This storagesurface 7, forming a supporting surface for the objects to be dispensed8, is inclined so as to pre-orient the objects to be dispensed inrelation to the developable, curvilinear guide surface 10, forming asort of exit ramp.

The container also comprises two parallel vertical walls 11 and 12making it possible to partially close the container and to position theobjects 8 laterally. The container also comprises a third vertical wall13 perpendicular to the first ones, positioned on the side opposite theslot-shaped dispensing opening 9 on which the objects to be dispensedcome to bear via their edge.

As mentioned previously, the objects to be dispensed 8 are, in thisparticular descriptive case, test strips frequently used in the field ofmedical diagnostics or chemical analyses.

FIGS. 2 to 4 show the various steps resulting in the extraction of athin strip.

According to the invention, FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the storageand dispensing device in its neutral position; the storage anddispensing device 1 including a container 2 containing the objects 8 tobe dispensed through the dispensing slot 9, a lid 3 and a flexible,deformable, movable drive element 14 integral with the lid 2.

The storage and dispensing device 1 comprises a rib 15 on the insideface of the lid, so as to hold the flexible, deformable, movable driveelement 14 in contact with the upper face of the object to be dispensed8.

The flexible, deformable, movable drive element 14 consists of a tonguemade of a flexible material and is capable of bending without permanentdeformation. It has the shape of an “S” when viewed as a cross section.This flexible movable drive element 14 has the characteristic of beingin contact with the object to be driven 8, and of having the capabilityof translating while at the same time remaining pressed against thesurface of the object to be dispensed. It also has the characteristic ofpossessing a surface having a static friction coefficient, whendetermined with respect to the upper face of the object to be driven,which is higher than the static friction coefficient existing betweenthe two surfaces opposite the two contiguous objects n and n−1 to bedispensed. It is integral with the movable lid.

The storage surface forming a supporting surface on which the objects tobe dispensed are stacked 7, is an inclined planar surface and iscontiguous with a preferably developable curvilinear so-called guidesurface 10. This storage surface is inclined so as to pre-orient theobjects to be dispensed in relation to the preferably developablecurvilinear guide surface 10, itself forming a sort of exit ramp for theobjects to be dispensed 8.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a storage and dispensing device 1 inits open position, after unlocking of the child safety opening system.The lid 3 is then translated in the opposite direction from the sidewhere the dispensing slot is located, driving the flexible, deformable,movable drive element 14, which is integral with it, the flexible,deformable, movable drive element 14 still remaining in contact with theupper face of the object to be dispensed 8, owing to the presence of arib 15 situated on the inside face of the lid.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a storage and dispensing device 1 inits once again closed position after translation of the object to bedispensed. Thus, by reversing the direction of the translationalmovement exerted on the lid 3 integral with the flexible, deformable,movable drive element 14, the lid 3 resumes its initial closed positionand the flexible movable drive element 14 drives the object to bedispensed n towards the dispensing slot 9. When the flexible movabledrive element 14 arrives at end of travel, the selected object to bedispensed n is pushed partially outward from the slot 9, in order toenable the user to grasp on to it.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the storage and dispensing device 1including a container 2, a lid equipped on its upper surface with a shoehaving a handling knob 16, which slides inside the opening 17 andenables the user to translate the flexible deformable movable driveelement. The container 2 comprises a guide surface 10, not shown on theinside, its external shape being parallelepiped.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the storage and dispensing device 1including a container 2, a lid 3 hinged along an axis 18 positioned onone of the ends of the container 2, on the dispensing opening side 9,this axis of rotation being of the integral hinge type, for example.

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of the storage and dispensing device 1according to the embodiment of FIG. 6, in its neutral position.

FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of the storage and dispensing device 1according to the embodiment of FIG. 6, in its actuated position.According to this embodiment, the lid 3 is hinged completely, the axisof rotation 18, for example of the integral hinge-type, being placed onone of the ends of the container 2, on the dispensing opening side 9.

Thus, pressure exerted by the user's hand on the hinged lid 3, on theside opposite the side comprising the dispensing opening 9, makes itpossible to move the flexible, deformable, movable drive element 14 andto drive the object to be dispensed 8 in the direction of the dispensingopening 9, said slot-type dispensing opening 9 itself also having abeveled form facilitating the guiding of the object to be dispensed 8towards the exit.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the storage and dispensing device 1according to another embodiment. According to this other embodiment, thelid is partially hinged, i.e., one portion of the lid 3 is fixed inrelation to the container 2, and the other portion rotates in relationto this container 2, the axis of rotation 18, for example of theintegral hinge-type, being placed at a location between the two ends ofthe lid.

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view of the storage and dispensing device 1according to the embodiment of FIG. 9, in its actuated position. Theuser opens the movable portion of the lid 3 by rotating it upward,thereby releasing the dispensing opening 9 of the container 2. Therotating movement of the movable portion of the lid 3, integral with theflexible, deformable, movable drive element 14, will enable the object 8situated at the top of the stack to be pulled and guided up to thedischarge opening 9.

1. A box-type storage and dispensing device for objects in the form ofsheets, small plates, strips or thin bands having a planar geometry, thedevice capable of dispensing said objects one-by-one, comprising: acontainer-type storage means with a lid, containing the objects to bedispensed, stored stacked on top of one another on a storage surface,said storage means including a guide surface for guiding objects to bedispensed and a dispensing opening enabling the objects being dispensedto pass through one-by-one, and a dispensing means, wherein saiddispensing means comprises a flexible, deformable and movable driveelement, the contact of an end of the flexible, deformable and movabledrive element with the upper face of the object to be dispensed being atransverse surface-to-surface contact along at least one tangentialline, having a static friction coefficient higher than the staticfriction coefficient existing between two facing surfaces of twocontiguous objects to be dispensed, and a longitudinal cross section ofthe flexible, deformable and movable drive element being “S” shaped ornearly “U” shaped.
 2. The storage and dispensing device of claim 1,wherein the flexible, deformable drive element takes the shape of afinger having a circular, elliptical or polygonal cross section, thedownstream end of which is equipped with a transverse bar perpendicularto a longitudinal axis, ensuring transverse surface-to-surface contactwith the object to be dispensed, along at least one tangential line. 3.The storage and dispensing device of claim 2, wherein the flexible,deformable drive element is a thin blade, of a constant width over theentire length of said flexible element, or having an even or unevennarrowing.
 4. The storage and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the flexible, deformable, movable drive element is preferablytriangular, rectangular or “T” shaped.
 5. The storage and dispensingdevice of claim 4, wherein, when the flexible, deformable, movable driveelement has a rectangular shape, and a width at most equal to a valuevery slightly lower than the width L of the container.
 6. The storageand dispensing device of claim 4, wherein, when the flexible,deformable, movable drive element has a triangular shape, the base ofthe triangle forming a transverse contact with the object to beextracted.
 7. The storage and dispensing device of claim 4, wherein,when the flexible, deformable, movable drive element has a “T” shape, atransverse bar of the “T” forms a transverse contact with an object tobe dispensed, wherein the bar has a length at most equal to a value veryslightly lower than the width L of the container.
 8. The storage anddispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transverse contactsurface with an object to be dispensed has a width between 0.25 timesthe width L of the container and a length very slightly less than saidwidth L of the container.
 9. The storage and dispensing device of claim8, wherein the length is preferably between 0.6 L and a length veryslightly less than said width L of the container.
 10. The storage anddispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container-typestorage means comprises a bottom formed by the combination of twocontiguous surfaces, one being the storage surface and the other beingthe guide surface.
 11. The storage and dispensing device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the storage surface, forming a supporting surface onwhich the objects to be dispensed are stacked, is a generally planarinclined surface forming an acute angle with the plane formed by thelid, and is contiguous with the guide surface.
 12. The storage anddispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage surfaceforming a supporting surface on which objects to be dispensed arestacked is a surface parallel to the plane of the lid and is contiguouswith the guide surface.
 13. The storage and dispensing device as claimedin claim 1, wherein the guide surface is a developable curvilinearsurface forming an exit ramp and ending at the dispensing opening. 14.The storage and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein theguide surface consists of one or more inclined planes in relation to theplane formed by the lid at the dispensing opening, so as to form ahopper.
 15. The storage and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the container comprises two substantially parallel verticalwalls and a third vertical wall substantially perpendicular to the twolateral walls, the third vertical wall positioned on a side opposite thedispensing opening.
 16. The storage and dispensing device as claimed inclaim 15, wherein the two walls and are converging.
 17. The storage anddispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is closedat an upper portion by a fixed lid equipped with a slide opening so asto enable the flexible, deformable, movable drive element of the objectto be dispensed to be moved in translation inside of the slide opening.18. The storage and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thecontainer is closed at an upper portion by a lid movable in translationin relation to the container.
 19. The storage and dispensing device ofclaim 18, wherein the device is equipped with a system for returning thelid to its initial position, the system being located between the lidand the container.
 20. The storage and dispensing device of claim 18,wherein the lid movable in translation in relation to the containercomprises a protuberance on an upper end surface, enabling the user toslide the lid in relation to the container.
 21. The storage anddispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is closedat an upper portion by a lid movable in rotation in relation to thecontainer.
 22. The storage and dispensing device of claim 21, whereinthe lid is hinged completely, an axis of rotation being placed on oneend of the container.
 23. The storage and dispensing device of claim 21,wherein the lid is partially hinged, a portion of the lid being fixed inrelation to the container, and another portion of the lid rotating inrelation to the container, the axis of rotation being placed at alocation between two ends of the lid.
 24. The storage and dispensingdevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid comprises a rib on aninside face, so as to hold the flexible, deformable, movable driveelement in contact with an upper face of an object to be dispensed. 25.The storage and dispensing device of claim 18, wherein the lid isassembled onto the container by a system for snapping on and slidingalong tracks with a stop limit device, the system capable of fasteningthe lid and the container together without restricting the ability ofthe lid to translate on the container.
 26. The storage and dispensingdevice of claim 17, wherein the fixed lid is assembled onto thecontainer by a snap-on system.
 27. The storage and dispensing device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the storage and dispensing device comprisesa slot-type dispensing opening having edges forming open lips enablingobjects to be dispensed to pass through one-by-one.
 28. The storage anddispensing device of claim 27, wherein the lips of the dispensingopening are in the form of a chamfer, a bevel or an offset of one of thelips in relation to the other.
 29. The storage and dispensing device asclaimed in claim 27, wherein the slot-type dispensing opening is eitheran integral part of the container, or an integral part of the lid, or isformed at the intersection of the container and lid, during the assemblythereof.
 30. The storage and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1,wherein a flexible flap is capable of concealing the dispensing opening.31. The storage and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thecontainer and the lid are made of polymer materials selected from thegroup of materials consisting of thermoplastic polymers, polyolefins,polyethylenes, polypropylenes, ethylene/propylene copolymers, polyamides(PA), polystyrenes (PS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)copolymers, styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) copolymers, polymethylmethacrylates (PMMA), polyethylene terephthalates (PET), polybutyleneterephthalates (PBT), polyacetals (POM), polyvinyl chlorides (PVC), andpolycarbonates (PC).
 32. The storage and dispensing device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the flexible, deformable, movable drive element isintegral with the movable portion of the lid when said lid is movable.33. The storage and dispensing device of claim 17, wherein the flexible,deformable, movable drive element is independent from the lid when saidlid is fixed.
 34. The storage and dispensing device of claim 33, whereinthe flexible, deformable, movable drive element is equipped with a shoesliding inside an opening of the fixed lid.
 35. The storage anddispensing device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the flexible,deformable, movable drive element is made with at least one materialselected from the group of materials having the characteristics peculiarto elastomeric compositions.
 36. The storage and dispensing device asclaimed in claim 32, wherein the flexible, deformable, movable driveelement is a mono-material formed from a single formulated elastomericthermoplastic material the thermoplastic material comprising at leastone thermoplastic elastomer and a rigid thermoplastic compound.
 37. Thestorage and dispensing device as claimed in claim 32, wherein theflexible, deformable, movable drive element (14) is a multi-material,and further comprises a core and a skin comprising an elastomeric-typematerial.
 38. The storage and dispensing device (1) as claimed in claim36, wherein elastomer material or materials are preferably selected fromthe group consisting of elastomers of natural rubber, synthetic rubber,mono-olefin rubbers, diene rubbers, condensation product-based rubbersstyrenic rubbers, and other block copolymers, used alone or in amixture, formulated or not.
 39. The storage and dispensing device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein a child safety opening system is associatedwith the device for storing and dispensing objects.
 40. The storage anddispensing device of claim 39, wherein the child safety opening systemis a pushbutton forming an integral part of a lid capable of combining asustained vertical pressure and a simultaneous translational movement tounlock the safety system and to ensure operation of the dispensingdevice.
 41. The storage and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the container and the lid are between said container and saidlid with an indicator of the container having been opened prior to thefirst opening.
 42. The storage and dispensing device as claimed in claim39, wherein the child safety opening system comprises separablemicro-points indicating a first opening, the micro-points positionedbetween the pushbutton and a pushbutton housing.
 43. The storage anddispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said storage anddispensing device is made desiccant by at least one of the meanscomprising an internal coating of the bottom of the container and/or ofthe internal surface of the wall of the container and/or of the lid bymeans of a desiccant thermoplastic polymer composition, the introductionof an insert into said storage and dispensing device, the coating of theflexible, deformable, movable drive element with an desiccantelastomeric composition, and/or the introduction of a desiccant materialplaced inside a special housing on the inside surface of the containerand/or the lid.
 44. A method for dispensing objects comprising:obtaining the storage and dispensing device as claimed in claim 1; andusing the device to dispense the objects in the form of sheets, smallplates, strips or thin bands, in the form of rigid strips or bands.